Estimating GSM coverage using 900 MHz multipath measurements

Digital cellular systems like GSM may in certain areas be seriously affected by multipath propagation, and system planners now face new challenges when selecting suitable base station locations. To verify the relationship between multipath conditions (expressed by the Q ₁₆ parameter) and bit-error-rate in GSM, a series of combined measurements was conducted in Spring 1993. Corresponding results from multipath measurements and values of the RX-QUAL quality parameter reported from a GSM test mobile have been recorded and analysed. Results from 5 measurement routes show that a correct estimate of coverage area based on the Q₁₆ parameter was obtained in 82% of the total measured distance. Allowing a small uncertainty zone, this figure was increased to more than 90%